331 lines
12 KiB
Plaintext
331 lines
12 KiB
Plaintext
Linux Meta-FAQ
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Michael K. Johnson <johnsonm@redhat.com>
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v4.7, 25 October 1997
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This is the Meta-FAQ for Linux. It is mainly a list of valuable
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sources of information. Check these sources out if you want to learn
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more about Linux, or have problems and need help.
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1. Introduction
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What is Linux?
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Linux is an independent implementation of the POSIX operating
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system specification, with SYSV and BSD extensions, that has
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been written entirely from scratch (this means it looks and acts
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just like Unix). It has no proprietary code in it. Linux is
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freely distributable under the GNU General Public License.
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Linux works on IBM PC compatibles with an ISA or EISA bus
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(including local bus variants VLB and PCI) and a 386 or higher
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processor. Some Amiga and Atari computers with MMU's are also
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supported. This means 68020 with an external MMU, 68030, 68040,
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or 68060. Support for the Digital Alpha is now stable. Red Hat
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and Craftworks have Alpha distributions of Linux. Support for
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Sparc is stable, and Red Hat Linux is available for Sparc.
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Support for PowerPC is in development for multiple platforms,
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including Nubus and PCI Macintosh, Motorola Powerstack, IBM 830
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and 850, and other platforms. Support for ARM, StrongARM, and
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MIPS is in various stages of completion, but don't hold your
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breath. Read comp.os.linux.announce instead.
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See the Linux INFO-SHEET for more technical information on these
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ports, and the Hardware Compatibility HOWTO for more exact
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hardware requirements.
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The Linux kernel is written by Linus Torvalds
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<torvalds@transmeta.com> and other volunteers. Most of the
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programs running under Linux are generic Unix freeware, many of
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them from the GNU project.
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The Linux INFO-SHEET
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More specific technical information on Linux. Includes pointers
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to information on the various ports, a feature list, information
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about how to get Linux, and more.
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The Linux HOWTO's
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These are somewhat like FAQ's, but instead of answering common
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questions, they explain how to do common tasks, like ordering a
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release of Linux, setting up print services under Linux, setting
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up a basic UUCP feed, etc. See
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<http://sunsite.unc.edu/LDP/HOWTO/HOWTO-INDEX.html> or
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<ftp://sunsite.unc.edu/pub/Linux/docs/HOWTO/> for the definitive
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versions of all the HOWTO's. Other sites with up-to-date copies
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of the HOWTOs are ftp.cc.gatech.edu and tsx-11.mit.edu.
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In addition, there are many short, free-form documents called
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"mini-HOWTOs". These documents cover very specific subjects,
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such as BogoMIPS or Color-ls. These are available at
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<ftp://sunsite.unc.edu/pub/Linux/docs/HOWTO/mini/> and at
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<http://sunsite.unc.edu/LDP/HOWTO/HOWTO-INDEX.html>.
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Linux newsgroups
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There are several Usenet newsgroups for Linux. It is a good
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idea to follow at least comp.os.linux.announce if you use Linux.
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comp.os.linux.announce is moderated by Lars Wirzenius. To make
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submissions to the newsgroup, send mail to linux-
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announce@news.ornl.gov. You may direct questions about
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comp.os.linux.announce to Lars Wirzenius <wirzeniu@iki.fi>
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The newsgroup comp.os.linux.announce is a moderated newsgroup
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for announcements about Linux (new programs, bug fixes, etc).
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The newsgroup comp.os.linux.answers is a moderated newsgroup to
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which the Linux FAQ, HOWTO documents, and other documentation
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postings are made.
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The newsgroup comp.os.linux.setup is an unmoderated newsgroup
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for discussion of issues and problems involved in setting up
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Linux systems.
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The newsgroup comp.os.linux.admin is an unmoderated newsgroup
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for discussion of administration of Linux systems.
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The newsgroup comp.os.linux.development.system is an unmoderated
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newsgroup specifically for discussion of Linux kernel
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development. The only application development questions that
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should be discussed here are those that are intimately
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associated with the kernel. All other development questions are
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probably generic Unix development questions and should be
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directed to a comp.unix group instead, unless they are very
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Linux-specific applications questions, in which case they should
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be directed at comp.os.linux.development.apps.
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The newsgroup comp.os.linux.development.apps is an unmoderated
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newsgroup specifically for discussion of Linux-related
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applications development. It is not for discussion of where to
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get applications for Linux, nor a discussion forum for those who
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would like to see applications for Linux.
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The newsgroup comp.os.linux.hardware is for Linux-specific
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hardware questions.
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The newsgroup comp.os.linux.networking is for Linux-specific
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networking development and setup questions.
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The newsgroup comp.os.linux.x is for Linux-specific X Windows
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questions.
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The newsgroup comp.os.linux.misc is an unmoderated newsgroup for
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any Linux discussion that doesn't belong anywhere else.
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In general, do not crosspost between the Linux newsgroups. The
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only crossposting that is appropriate is an occasional posting
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between one unmoderated group and comp.os.linux.announce. The
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whole point of splitting the old comp.os.linux group into many
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groups was to reduce traffic in each. Those that do not follow
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this rule will be flamed without mercy...
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Other newsgroups
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Do not assume that all your questions are appropriate for a
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Linux newsgroup just because you are running Linux. Is your
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question really about shell programming under any unix or unix
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clone? Then ask in comp.unix.shell. Is it about GNU Emacs?
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Then try asking in gnu.emacs.help. Also, if you don't know
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another group to ask in, but think there might be, politely ask
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in your post if there is another group that would be more
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appropriate for your question. At least the groups
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comp.unix.{questions,shell,programming,bsd,admin} and
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comp.windows.x.i386unix should be useful for a Linux user.
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The World-Wide Web
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Greg Hankins <gregh@cc.gatech.edu> maintains the home WWW page
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for the Linux project. The URL is
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<http://sunsite.unc.edu/LDP/>
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Linux Journal
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A magazine called Linux Journal was launched several years ago.
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It includes articles intended for almost all skill levels, and
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is intended to be helpful to all Linux users. Subscriptions are
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$22 in the U.S., $27 in Canada and Mexico, and $32 elsewhere
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around the world, all payable in U.S. funds. Subscription
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inquiries can be sent via email to subs@ssc.com or faxed to
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(U.S.) 1-206-782-7191 or mailed to Linux Journal, PO Box 85867,
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Seattle, WA 98145-1867 USA. SSC has a PGP public key if you
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wish to send your credit card number via encrypted email: finger
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info@ssc.com
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The Linux Software Map
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Information on free software available for Linux can be found in
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the Linux Software Map, which can be found at
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<http://www.execpc.com/~lsm/>
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2. Getting Linux
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2.1. Linux FTP sites
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A more complete list of Linux FTP sites is in the Linux INFO-SHEET,
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which can always be found at <http://sunsite.unc.edu/LDP/HOWTO/INFO-
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SHEET.html> The most important sites are listed here; please see the
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INFO-SHEET for a site nearer to you (there are many mirrors).
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textual name numeric addr Linux directory
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======================= ============== ===============
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tsx-11.mit.edu 18.86.0.44 /pub/linux
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sunsite.unc.edu 152.2.22.81 /pub/Linux
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ftp.kernel.org 206.184.214.34 /pub/linux
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These sites are the main ``home'' sites for Linux where most uploads
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take place. There are many mirror sites; please use the closest
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(network-wise) site to you.
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2.2. Linux on physical media
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Linux is distributed on physical media, mainly CD-ROM, by several
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commercial vendors. Please read the distribution HOWTO, posted
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regularily to comp.os.linux.announce, and available at
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<http://sunsite.unc.edu/LDP/HOWTO/Distribution-HOWTO.html>
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2.3. AFS
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Linux is available over AFS by mounting the volume project.linux from
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sipb.mit.edu
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2.4. Commercial networks
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Compu$erve has some Linux archives.
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2.5. Mailservers and such
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Unfortunately SunSITE no longer does ftpmail. Sorry.
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3. Linux distributions
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Linux is distributed by its author only as a kernel. Other people
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have put together ``distributions'' that pair the Linux kernel with
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utilities and application software to make a complete working package.
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There are several distributions of Linux, which are available at
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various sites. Sunsite mirrors many of the distributions at
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<ftp://sunsite.unc.edu/pub/Linux/distributions/>. The most commonly-
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recommended freely-available distributions are Red Hat
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<http://www.redhat.com> and Debian <http://www.debian.org>. These
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are available for free over the internet, and are also sold on CD-ROM.
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There are other distributions of Linux as well. Most commercial
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distributors of Linux advertise in Linux Journal.
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4. Linux mailing-lists
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Used mostly for discussion between developers of new features and
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testers of pre-release versions. See addresses in the FAQ. Send mail
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to majordomo@vger.rutgers.edu with the single word help in the body of
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the message , and you will get mail explaining how to subscribe to the
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many Linux mailing lists there. Save this mail, as it tells you how
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to unsubscribe from the lists, and if you post annoying messages to
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the list complaining about not being able to get off the list (because
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you didn't follow instructions and save the mail telling you how to
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unsubscribe), you will likely be flamed for wasting international
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bandwidth and money.
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5. Documentation for various programs
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Many programs come with some sort of documentation, often in a file
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called README or something similar. It is a VERY good idea to read
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them with care. It is boring to see (and answer) questions that are
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answered in the documentation. Most programs also have ``man pages'';
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use the command man programname to get documentation on a program
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named programname. To get help using the man program, use man man.
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Most distributions put other documentation about programs in the
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directory /usr/doc/; your distribution should include documentation on
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how to access that documentation.
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6. More Documentation
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The Linux Documentation Project is working on a lot of documentation.
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Already, over 3000 pages of book-style documentation has been released
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to the general public, and another 2000 or so printed pages of man
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pages have also been released, with more to follow. Check
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<http://sunsite.unc.edu/LDP/> for documents written by the LDP.
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7. Keeping track of current releases
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Important new releases, programs, and ports are usually announced in
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comp.os.linux.announce.
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8. This Document
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The latest version of this document should always be available from
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<http://sunsite.unc.edu/LDP/HOWTO/META-FAQ.html>
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9. Legalese
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Trademarks are owned by their owners. Satisfaction not guaranteed.
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No warranties about this document. Void where prohibited.
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The content of this document is placed in the public domain, but if
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you quote it, please be polite and attribute your source.
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Lars Wirzenius <wirzeniu@iki.fi> wrote the first version of this
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document; it is now maintained by Michael K. Johnson
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<johnsonm@redhat.com>. Mail me if you have any questions about this
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document.
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